Press Releases

The Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, Inc., is pleased to be the recipient of an $80,100.00 grant from the Quantum Foundation in support of its Medical Legal Partnership Project.

Legal Aid's Medical Legal Partnership Project (MLP), established in 2008 with funds from the Quantum Foundation, is designed to bridge the gap between low-income individuals' health problems and the legal issues that impact their health. Common legal issues facing individuals living in poverty include: applying for public benefits such as food stamps, Medicaid and unemployment compensation; landlord/tenant issues that may result in eviction; immigration authorization to quality for public benefits; and Social Security disability appeal, all of which can have a significant impact on the health and well being of an individual or family. By working directly on-site at the four Palm Beach County Federally Qualified Health Centers, FoundCare Health Center and Genesis Community Health, Legal Aid's MLP staff work through legal advocacy and representation to directly impact an individual's overall health, well being and quality of life. In addition, the MLP attorney works very closely with the medical staff at each clinic in order to educate them on legal issues that can affect their clients' health or access to medical care.

"The Quantum Foundation has been a tremendous supporter of Legal Aid's Medical Legal Partnership Project from its creation," said Bob Bertisch, Legal Aid Society's Executive Director. "It is only through their support and belief in the project that we are able to help the neediest individuals and families in Palm Beach County achieve improved quality of life and stability in their medical care, and we are grateful for their continued assistance and partnership."

The Foundation is dedicated to promoting healthy populations, improving access to care for uninsured and underinsured county residents, facilitating development of a coordinated and collaborative health care delivery system, increasing the number of health care professionals training and serving the County, improving sciences competency among primary and secondary school students, and improving the quality of life from the neighborhood level up by attacking root causes of public health problems.